September 19, 2016

BBC Radio 1 aims to be Netflix of Music Radio

BBC Radio 1 aims to become the “Netflix of music radio” with a new rollout that will offer 25 hours of on demand programming for mobile devices. [The Guardian]

Will Radio/Media Corporations in the United States follow the BBC's lead?

BBC Radio 1 is aiming to become the “Netflix of music radio” with a new strategy that starts with commissioning 25 hours of programming that will be made available on demand.

Ben Cooper, the controller of Radio 1 and Radio 1 Xtra, believes radio needs to take a leaf out of the hugely successful US streaming service’s book by making content available to listeners when they want it and not tie all output to the broadcast schedule.

“We have 25 hours of programming that is made for your phone,” said Cooper, “The reason for this is I believe going forward Radio 1 should have curated on-demand programming on a par with live on-air programming.”

Cooper referred to it as a “phone-first” strategy that will allow Radio 1 fans to pick a show to stream or download and listen to when they want, such as on a journey to or from work.

“I want the production team thinking just as much about the on-demand, phone-first programming as they are about the live radio programme [sic],” he said. “That is a huge step-change in terms of a radio station’s thinking and attitude.”